THE cash-strapped Nigerian government has been forced to trim down on the size of its squad for the All Africa Games in Johannesburg, Sports Minister Damishi Sango said on Thursday.
Only 344 athletes and officials from the original 607 will head for South Africa on Monday, for the games which start on September 9. “Financial constraints” had forced measures that “range from pruning-down the number of athletes and officials to total dropping of some sports where medal prospects are very slim,” Sango said. Nigeria hosts the next All Africa Games in 2003 and has long been a major player in African athletics.